1st British Academy Film Awards | |
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Date | 29 May 1949 |
Site | Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square, London |
Highlights | |
Best Film | The Best Years of Our Lives |
Best British Film | Odd Man Out |
Most awards | The Best Years of Our Lives , Odd Man Out (1) |
The 1st British Film Academy Awards (retroactively known as the British Academy Film Awards), were handed out on 29 May 1949 at the Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square, in London, for films shown in the United Kingdom in 1947 and 1948. [1] They were presented by the British Film Academy (currently, British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)), an organisation established in 1947 by filmmakers from Great Britain, for the "advancement of the art and technique of the film". [2] The Academy bestowed accolades in three categories: Best British Film, Best Picture from any source – British or Foreign and a Special Award. [1] British film producer Michael Balcon chaired the ceremony. [1]
Odd Man Out won Best British Film. [3] Best Film from any source – British or Foreign was awarded to American film The Best Years of Our Lives . Documentary, The World Is Rich received the Special Award. [3] Bronze trophies, designed by Henry Moore were given to the director of the films, on behalf of the motion pictures' production units. [1]
Winners highlighted in boldface. [3] [4] All sources used in this article make no mention of nominees in any of the categories.
Best British Picture | Best Picture from any source – British or Foreign |
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Take a look inside the pages of the brochure for the British Film Academy Awards presented on 29 May, 1949, covering excellence in film from 1947-48.[The 13th brochure image on that page (archived copy), headed "The Academy Awards 1947-1948", features the note: "ERRATUM: Page 3. The day and place of the Awards Presentation was changed to Sunday, May 29th, at the Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square." The page shown in that image also notes the different award categories between 1947 and 1948, that Michael Balcon was Chair, and that Henry Moore sculpted the statuettes.]